Automatic way guard for machine tools



Nov. 11, 1947. R. 1.. ROUGEMONT AUTOMATIC WAY GUARD FOR MACHINE TOOLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 10, 1942 I rzwnf .Trze Z'ou/s Rol e-man Nov. 11, 1947. R.'| ROUGEMONT I 2,430,327

AUTOMATIC WAY GUARD FOR MACHINE TOOLS Original Filed April 10, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ene'gouw 3041557720121 Patented Nov. 11, 1947 AUTOMATIC WAY GUARD FOR MACHINE TOOLS Ren Louis Rougemont, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Reed-Prentice Corporation, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Original application April 10, 1942, Serial No. 438,422. Divided and this application October 2, 1943, Serial No. 504,747

3 Claims.

1 The present application relates to way guards for machine tools and is a division of my original application Serial No. 438,422, filed jointly with James B. Wilson on April 10, 1942, for a Milling machine, now Patent Number 2,384,133, issuedv September 4, 1945.

The device of the present application has for its object to provide an improved arrangement for automatically protecting the ways of a milling or like machine tool having a reciprocating table from the deposit of Work chips and cuttings, in any position of the work support. The above and other advantageous features of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a machine tool embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view partially in front elevation and partially in section, showing the way guard construction at one end of the machine of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig.3.

Fig, 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the relation between one work table way and its associated guard.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, showing the relation between the end of a Way guard and its track.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the line 88 of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the invention is shown for purposes of illustration as being embodied in a milling machine comprising a bed I, upon which is formed spaced horizontal ways 2 for slidably supporting and guiding a work table 3. The table 3 is adapted to have a reciprocatory movement imparted thereto on the ways 2 by means of a rotatably driven shaft i, movable with the table and cooperating with a nut 5 carried by the bed I, as indicated in dotted lines.

The bed I also provides spaced ways 6 extending at right angles to and above the table ways 2, and a cross slide 7 movable back and forth on the ways 6 carries a vertically movable tool head 3. The tool head 8 provides a tool spindle 9 for mounting a suitable tool to perform a machining operation on work W carried by the table 3, indicated in dotted lines. The essential elements of the milling machine described thus far are usual in machines of this character, and the present invention has to do with the provision of an improved arrangement for automatically guarding the horizontal ways 2 against the deposit of chips and cuttings from the work W in any position of the table 3 on the ways 2.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, each end of bed I provides a pair of spaced side plates ID, with the plates extending beyond the bed a distance greater than the normal over-travel of the bed I with respect to the ways 2 in either extreme position of the table 3. As best shown in Fig. 4, each pair of plates It supports between them a transverse shaft II on which is mounted a pair of reels I2. The reels I2 are of such diameter as to support a guard I3 of sheet metal above the level of the ways 2, with one end of the guard being attached to one end of the table by means of a cross member I4. The guard I3 is of such thickness that it readily flexes around the reels I2, and the guard is of such length that it extends partially around the reels as shown in Fig. 3,

, when the table 3 occupies the middle position of Fig. 1.

Each side plate In is provided with a guide or track I5, bent in U-form, so as to substantially correspond to the periphery of the adjacent reel I2. Each track I5 is of channel section, so as to receive rollers I6 carried at the free end of the guard I3. As best shown in Figs. 7 and 8, each roller I6 is rotatably mounted on a stud [1 carried by a lug I8 attached to the under side of the guard I3. Therefore, the guard is guided at its free end between the tracks I5, so that it will generally conform to the peripheries of the reels I2 as it moves with the table 3 between the extreme positions indicated by the dotted line showings of the rollers I6 in Fig. 3.

It is apparent from a consideration of Figs. 5 and 8, that the guard I3 is of such Width that its longitudinal edges clear the tracks l5, so that when the table 3 moves to the left from the position of Fig. 1, the guard will move freely between the tracks and will readily follow the table. As the guard I3 follows the left-hand movement of the table, it will completely cover the ways 2, that would be otherwise exposed. The guard I3 is of 'such length that it can follow the table to its extreme left-hand position, at which time the rollers I6 will have moved to substantially the upper ends of the tracks I5, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. It is to be noted that as the guard I3 moves over the ways 2, its marginal portions slide beneath a pair of covers I9 that are flush with the ends of the tracks I5, as indicated in fragmentary showing of Fig. 6. That is to say, the covers I9 abut the ends of the tracks I5, where the side plates ID are connected to the machine bed I, see Fig. 5,

In its movements with the table 3, the surface of the guard I3 is guided at all times, either between the tracks I and on the reels I2, or between the way covers I9. In order to protect the end of the guard where it passes around the reels I2, the side plates II) are connected by cross members 20 extending close to the peripheries of the reels, which members 20 support between them a cover 2I, which'also extends beneath the reels. In this way, the relatively flexible material of the guard I3 is protected against damage,

and is maintained in a flat condition when it extends over the table ways 2.

Upon right-hand movement of the table 3 to the extreme position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the free end of the guard I3 is guided by the r011ers IE to the lower dotted line position of Fig. 3. Since, as previously pointed out, the above described mounting of a guard I3 is duplicated at the lefthand end of the bed I, the right-hand movement of the table 3 to the dotted line position of Fig. 1 is accompanied by movement of the left-hand guard I3 to a position where it covers the ways 2 as they are exposed by the left-hand end of the table. As a result, the ways 2 are completely covered as the table 3 moves back and forth, with the ways always fully protected against damage in any position of the table and with the deposit of chips and cuttings from the work being effectively prevented.

' I claim:

1. An automatic way guard for machine tools comprising in combination, a bed providing spaced horizontal ways, a work table movable longitudinally on said ways from one extreme position to another, an extension at one end of said bed providing spaced tracks having parallel straight portions above and below said ways, with an intermediate curved portion uniting said straight portions, a flexible guard member wide enough to cover both ways, secured at one end to said table, a curved guide member mounted between said tracks, and rollers mounted at the free end of said guard member, at either side, for sliding movement along said tracks as said guard mem- 1 horizontal ways, a work table movable longitudinally on said Ways from one extreme position to another, an extension at one end of said bed providing spaced tracks having parallel straight portions above and below said ways, with an intermediate curved portion uniting said straight portions, a flexible guard member wide enough to cover both ways, secured at one end to said table and free at its other end, a reel supported for free rotation between said tracks, and rollers carried by the other free end of said guard at either side and cooperating with said tracks to guide the free end of said guard on to, partially around and off of said reel as said guard travels back and forth on said table.

3. An automatic Way guard for machine tools comprising in combination, a bed providing spaced horizontal ways, a work table movable longitudinally on said Ways, an extension at one end or" said bed comprising spaced side members, a reel freely rotatable on a cross shaft extending between said side members, a flexible guard member wide enough to cover both ways secured at one end to said table, and means provided by the side members of said bed extension on opposite sides of said reel for guiding the free end of said guard member, first on to the top of said reel and then around the reel. as a "uard member travels back and forth with said table.

RENE LOUIS ROUGEMOIJT.

REFERENCES CITED Ihe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,674,145 Van Hamersveld Jun-e 19, 1928 1,461,837 Birhanzl July 17, 1923 1,679,912 Mondloch Aug. 7, 1928 2,190,213 Meyer Feb. 13, 1940 

